Why the Third Nipple? The Story Behind Perky’s Cheekiest Campaign Yet.
Yes, that’s a third nipple. And this time, it’s temporary.
But before we explain that part, we should probably explain why Perky is asking people to put extra nipples on themselves in the first place. Underneath what may be our cheekiest campaign yet is a cause that means everything to us.
At Perky, nipples are kind of our thing.
Through restorative tattooing, we create hyper-realistic 3D nipple tattoos designed to help restore confidence to those whose bodies have been changed by breast cancer, mastectomy, reconstruction, surgery, and treatment.
We've seen firsthand how something that may seem small to someone else can carry an enormous amount of meaning.
We've also seen something else: not everyone has access to restorative tattooing.
That's why the Perky Restoration Program, in partnership with Pink Warrior Advocates, exists. The program provides grants for those affected by breast cancer to receive restorative tattooing services at Perky at no cost to them, including 3D nipple tattooing, scar camouflage, and eyebrow restoration.
And we want to help more people. We just needed a way to get your attention.
Enter: The Third Nipple.
An extra nipple for a much bigger purpose
We took the nipple tattoos from our temporary tattoo collection and gave them a new job.
We made them smaller—just one inch—and created a temporary Third Nipple designed to be worn somewhere it wouldn't normally belong.
The idea is ridiculously simple:
Put it on. Post it. Tell people why.
Give yourself a third nipple. Give your partner one. Your best friend. Your doctor. Your plastic surgeon. Your coworker who will absolutely commit to the bit.
Wear it somewhere unexpected.
Take a picture.
Make a video.
Get someone to ask, “Wait…is that a third nipple?”
And then tell them why it's there.
Because sometimes an unexpected nipple can start a conversation that a pink ribbon can't.
Meet Stacy—and her very strategically placed nipple
When it came time to photograph our Third Nipple campaign, we knew we didn't want to simply stick one on and take a picture. We wanted to have a little fun with it. And if you're going to wear a third nipple, who better to take inspiration from than someone who actually has one? Enter Mark Wahlberg.
For our PERKY magazine-inspired shoot, Stacy recreated a Mark-inspired look—and we took the commitment to detail one step further. We placed her temporary Third Nipple where Mark's naturally occurs.
Fashion inspiration, but make it anatomically accurate.
The result was exactly what we hoped for: funny, unexpected and almost impossible not to look at.
Mark Wahlberg, consider this your nipple notice
We're putting this campaign out into the world with one slightly ridiculous goal: Get Mark Wahlberg to see Stacy's third nipple.
Not just because we'd love for him to appreciate the level of commitment that went into recreating his look. We're hoping he'll help us turn the attention into impact.
Our client’s daughter has already put her skin in the game and her and her mom donated $500 toward helping someone affected by breast cancer access restorative tattooing.
Now we're asking Mark to match it.
The nipple is funny. The reason behind it isn't.
We intentionally made this campaign playful. But access to restorative care after breast cancer or prophylactic mastectomy is something we take incredibly seriously.
For some people, a 3D nipple tattoo can represent the final step after years of surgeries. For someone else, scar camouflage can help change the way they see an area of their body that carries difficult memories. For another, eyebrow restoration can help them recognize the person looking back at them in the mirror.
These services aren't “just cosmetic” to the people seeking them. They're personal.
And cost shouldn't be the reason someone can't access them. That's the bigger story behind every Third Nipple you see us post this October.
Your third nipple can help, too
You don't need a huge platform. You don't need to be an influencer. And you definitely don't need to be Mark Wahlberg.
You just need to be willing to do something a little unexpected for a cause worth talking about.
Our temporary Third Nipples are available in 12 styles. Each package contains one 1-inch temporary nipple tattoo, and 50% of each Third Nipple purchase goes directly toward supporting the Perky Restoration Program.
Want to really commit? Our Third Nipple Variety Pack includes all 12 styles and 75% of your purchase goes directly to the Perky Restoration Program.
Pick one. Put it somewhere unexpected. Hand one to someone you love. Convince your plastic surgeon to wear one. Get the whole group involved. Then take a photo or video and share it. Tell people what you're wearing. More importantly, tell them why.
Tag @weareperky so we can see it and share the nipple love.
Don't want another nipple? You can still help.
We get it. Maybe two is plenty. You can still make an impact.
Share the campaign. Send it to someone who will appreciate it. Tell a friend about the Perky Restoration Program. Donate directly. Tag someone who might be willing to participate. And, of course... Tag Mark Wahlberg. We have a $500 question we'd really like him to see.
And of course, if you're a physician, practice, business, or individual who wants to help more survivors and previvors access restorative tattooing, you can make a direct contribution to the Perky Restoration Program through Pink Warrior Advocates.
Wear it. Share it. Give back.
The Third Nipple is supposed to make you look twice. It's supposed to make you laugh. It's supposed to make someone ask a question.
That question gives us an opportunity to talk about something much bigger: what happens after breast cancer or prophylactic mastectomy, the importance of restorative care, and why everyone deserves access to options that can help them feel more at home in their body.
So yes… we're asking you to wear a third nipple. We're asking you to post it on the internet. And we're asking you to help us put restorative tattooing within reach for someone else.
Put it on. Post it. Tell people why.
